The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1887-11-17
the better for being surprise. 1 had
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was put in order, Hal got out the bow
and arrows, and took a little wooder
plate from his sisters dollhouse for 4:
target.
Il on run to the tool-house for ham.
mer and nail, Hugh" he said, "ant
we'll fasten this to the old elm.''
Hugh made one eager step forward
then paused, and over his face came q
look OF such CONSERVATION and dsma,
| that Hal stared at him in amazement.
whats the matter?" he asked.
~, Hal, must go home; 1 must &C
home at once" answered Hugh,
"When you spoke of the tool-house
remembered that have wild canary
shut up in our tool-house at home. and
unless go back at once it will starye
| to death"
"Let it starve, then.'' said Hal. "You
surely wouldn't miss all the fun to- NOR.
row just for the sake of bird! You
can catch another. and, if you don't, it
won't be much of loss"
'But l promised mother l wouldn't
neglect it. You know l let my rabbits
starye to death, and mother said then
did not deserve to ever have another
pet. l must go back, Hal. OF course
it is hard for me to give up the fun; but
there is no help for it as far as can
see."
81 don'tsee. But there's father; let's
ask him about it." said Hal, as Mr..
Nelson appeared in the doorway of the
stable. 81 know he will say you would
be foolish to go.'
That was exactly what Mr.. Nelson
did say. and. he added, Il will give you
what you expected to get for the bird,
Hugh, and that will make it all right,
and save you the trouble of taking it to
the fair
That's not it, Uncle. / don't care
SO much for the money, but 1 dom
want to let the bird die
but | have no way Of sending YOU
home, Hugh. can not go to Barclay
again until Friday, and as it is twelve
aiiles from the railroad and three from
your fathers farm. there would be no adj
vantage in your going by rail- No, YOU
must give up this idea, my boy, and try
to. forget it. And, after all, the life of
a bird is a very small affair and not
worth SO much worry
Very likely it will live until Fri
day." said Hal cheerfully, "and if it
don't it won't matter much, as father
says. Come on. let's set up the tar
get"
But it was with very sober face and
tagging steps thas Hugh followed his
cousin to the tool-house to get the nee
cssary nail. and he showed no enthu-
siasm when his arrow pierced the mark.
His mind was dwelling on that poor
little canary twenty miles away. and
the promise he had made regarding it.
: When several of the neighborhood
boys called to see Hal and take part in
the sport, Hugh slipped away, and run
ming into the barn, threw himself on a
pile of hay in the loft to think over his
position.
The question he had to decide was a
very difficult one. He wanted SO much
tn stay for the picnic and the fireworks.
1t would be terribly hard to give up all
the promised enjoyment +; and as his
uncle had said the life of bird was not
OF much consequences, anyway, and his
mother would surely excuse him. under
all the circumstances, for breaking his
promise. And if he went home he
would anger and disappoint Hal. 1t
was long walk. too. Twenty miles.
and the road was dusty and unshaded.
He could not reach home until dark.
even if he started at once. No; it was
certainly better that he should stay at
his uncle's. There was a chance, too
though very slim one-that Ralph
would go into the tool-housc and see
the bird, ,aor that his mother would re-
member it.
d Then the recollection of the rabbits
he had allowed to starve to death came
to disturb him. Would his mother ex-
cuse him for breaking his promise
when he had assured her so earnestly
that the bird should not be neglected.?
No, he was sure she would not. And
she would never trust him again.
''But can't, / can't CO." he NUT
tered, with q choking sound in his
throat that was almost sob '.It's
little too much to expect fellow to
give up every thing
But. after all. his sense of right con-
quered. and when Hal went into the
house half an hour later, to inquire for
his cousin, he found a note on the bu-
reau of the room they had occupied the
night previous, which ran as follows:
''Dear Hal: I'm awful sorry; but /
think l ought to so. Don't be put out
about it.
But Hal soas put out" and declared
over and over again that he would
never forgive Hugh for having treated
him SO shabbily, and that he would
never again ask him to pay him visit.
Perhaps he would have felt more
kindly toward his cousin had he seen
him toiling along the hot. dusty road,
weary and footsore before he had zone